"For the intellectual, the New Faith is a candle that he circles like a moth. In the end, he throws himself into the flame for the glory of mankind." - Czeslaw Milsoz

Sunday, July 11, 2004

Saudi Revolution Watch - Jihadis Returning as Iraq Stabilizes

In a characteristic piece of good news/bad news, Saudi fighters who crossed into Iraq to wage jihad against the infidels are returing home as Iraq stabilizes. Good news: Saudi jihadis are no longer comfortable in Iraq. Bad news: trained fighters with connections and weapons are drifting back to Saudi Arabia, looking for some action. From the Washington Post (thanks to Jihad Watch).

"The Iraq veterans are serving as fresh recruits for an underground network in Saudi Arabia ... Other Saudis are returning after spending time in newly established training camps across the Red Sea in remote parts of Sudan."

These men are a generation younger than the 'Afghan Arabs' who have made up the Saudi insurgency up until now. Will they be as dedicated to the anti-Saud cause? Will they pump new ideas and techniques into the insurgency? Not as well trained and certainly not as battle-hardened as the Afghan Arabs and certainly not as battle-hardened, will the Iraqi veterans make crucial mistakes? Or just flake out and return to mainstream Saudi life?